WHO USES PABs?
Many food delivery riders rely on PABs, which can be used on roads and shared paths like park connectors.
One retailer, MOBOT, said about 95 per cent of its power-assisted bicycle buyers are delivery workers.
It added that the use of the bikes comes with stringent LTA regulations. The bikes have to adhere to EN15194, an international safety, performance and design requirement standard.
MOBOT general manager Chew Boon Hur said original and approved e-bikes are a safe mode of transportation, but cautioned that some users may modify the vehicles, making them a hazard to others.
“They might want to change to a bigger battery size so they can travel further (without stopping for a charge and) they may want to just buy a charger with a higher ampere so that they can charge the battery faster,” he said.
E-bikes in Singapore typically require about 4 to 6 hours of charging time, and how long the charge lasts depends on factors like battery capacity, terrain, riding style, and power level used.
“We do have to remind consumers that any form of modifications to an LTA-approved PAB, basically, will make it non-compliant. And … it will also void the warranty. So the consumer, at the end of the day, will have to bear the entire risk,” Mr Chew said.
